flotation

noun

flo·​ta·​tion flō-ˈtā-shən 

variants or less commonly floatation

1

: the act, process, or state of floating

2

: an act or instance of financing (such as an issue of stock)

3

: the separation of the particles of a mass of pulverized ore according to their relative capacity for floating on a given liquid

also : any of various similar processes involving the relative capacity of materials for floating

4

: the ability (as of a tire or snowshoes) to stay on the surface of soft ground or snow

Examples of flotation in a Sentence

fills the tanks with air for flotation

the flotation of a currency

Recent Examples on the Web

Over the following five weeks, four more episodes follow him through regression hypnosis, a naked woodland cult and a flotation tank, trailed by a life coach played by comedian Will Hislop, whose credentials came from Instagram. — Maureen Kerr, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026

The panic from the occupants struggling to grab floatation devices helped spur aviation-safety reforms, including mandatory preflight passenger briefings and improvements involving flotation equipment. — Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 22 July 2026

Use any available items, such as an empty cooler, as a flotation aid. — Pueng Vongs, Mercury News, 15 July 2026

The comments indicate significant investor demand for the world's second-largest manufacturer of HBM chips, with market sentiment increasingly buoyant following SpaceX's successful flotation last month. — Sean Conlon,joseph Wilkins,justina Lee,tanaya MacHeel, CNBC, 8 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

float entry 2 + -ation

First Known Use

1806, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing flotation

• flotation device

Rhymes for flotation

• ablation
• aeration
• bination
• carnation
• cassation
• castration
• causation
• centration
• cessation
• cetacean
• chelation
• citation

Kids Definition

flotation

noun

flo·​ta·​tion

variants also floatation

flō-ˈtā-shən

1

: the act, process, or state of floating

2

: the separation of the particles of a mass of ground ore according to how they compare in ability to float on a liquid